For a number of years, a variety of products have been introduced onto the market which have taken advantage of the effects of magnetic fields on fluids and specifically on fluids flowing through pipes and other conduits. The introduction of a magnetic field adjacent to flowing fluids has been shown to provide numerous advantages including the removal of build-up within pipes, and the more efficient and cleaner burning of gasoline and other fuels.
A number of U.S. patents have issued which are directed to this technology. U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,498 to Peter A. Kulish, issued Aug. 12, 1986, describes a method and apparatus for the treatment of liquids by the concentration of magnetic fields in liquids passing through a conduit. In the device disclosed in this patent, appropriately oriented magnets are placed within a casing having a central aperture which is split into at least two portions, thereby enabling the portions to be placed around the conduit and fastened by means of small tabs, ears, or snap joints. The small tabs, ears and snap joints hold the portions in position about the conduit; the interior of the casing immediately surrounding the conduit is provided with several different removable rings, such that by removing an appropriate number of the rings a close fit to the conduit exterior can be approximated.
Design Pat. No. 289,674 of the same Peter Kulish, and issued May 5, 1987, discloses a specific arrangement of the casing which is constructed in two parts, each having broad extending lateral ears and each arranged to cover 180.degree. of exterior of the conduit with the ears then coming into alignment and being secured together by some appropriate fastener to hold the entire casing in place.
U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 253,841 and 263,306 also illustrate multi-part magnetic holders.
The foregoing designs for magnet casings have several disadvantages in actual practice. Initially, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,498, many prior art designs require the manufacture and provision of a plurality of interior rings and the removal of various of them by the operator, in order to approximate a close fit to the interior conduit. Such devices therefore are often difficult to correctly place and position and may require a fair degree of trial and error. Multiple piece devices also can frequently corrode and break apart.
Other embodiments shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,498, as well as the apparatus shown in Design Pat. No. 289,674, are difficult for one person to install, because they involve the assembly of the separated parts of the casing about the conduit, and the holding of them with one hand while with the other hand one attempts to secure the necessary fasteners. Such components may be particularly difficult to assemble in an automobile or truck, where fuel lines may be difficult to reach.
It would be desirable to provide a magnet casing which can be applied for gasoline or diesel engines which facilitates easy attachment, and which facilitates attachment with a single hand. It would be further desirable to provide a magnet casing which can more readily accommodate a wide variety of conduit diameters.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a magnet holding assembly appropriate for installation on the exterior of the conduit, which is both easy to install and yet ensures a tight fit to the conduit.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a magnet holding assembly which can easily accommodate a variety of conduit parameters.
It is also an object to provide such a casing which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.